An Oil Refinery

A sample chemical reaction of the cracking of one particular hydrocarbon is as follows:

C5H12 + 8O2 –> 5CO2 + 6H2O + energy.  Some examples of petroleum products, their boiling range, and the length of their hydrocarbon chains are shown in the chart below:

The colonists journeying to Arda will need to make a decision as to how they feel they would most benefit from petroleum's potential uses. During the Industrial Revolution, petroleum use began in the form of kerosene, which back then was used for lamp oil. Kerosene could be a fundamental resource in the colonists' way of life. For them, kerosene might best be used as a source for lighting and also an aid in cooking.

Other fractions the colonists might want to focus on include fuel oil diesel oil, and gasoline. Fuel oil would be very useful as an energy resource for furnaces, boilers, and other sources of heat. If the colonists plan to have a strong transportation system, then gasoline and diesel oil might be very important. Diesel oil is mostly used to fuel trucks, buses, and even railways and some ships. Gasoline is used to help run cars. Petroleum is so valuable because it can be used for so many different things. The list goes on and on. As the colonists shift their focus to energy, they should use petroleum, the refining of oil, and all of the uses of petroleum products as the basis for their ideas.

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